


Learning To Love

by little_dark_things



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alpha Jensen, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Jared, Slow To Update, asshole Jensen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-15 15:41:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11809044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_dark_things/pseuds/little_dark_things
Summary: Jensen Ackles is the rich, playboy son of Texas’s most powerful Alpha, Alan Ackles. After years of putting up with his son's behavior, one scandal too many proves to be the breaking point. Alpha Ackles expects Jensen to take over as Alpha of Dallas Pack when he dies, as is traditional, but with Jensen’s wild, reckless, and sometimes violent behaviour, the pack is beginning to doubt their future leader. To bring his son to heel, Alpha Ackles orders Jensen to choose a mate.





	1. Chapter One

~*~  
_**Jensen**_

Jensen woke to his worst nightmare. His face was splashed across the front page of every gossip magazine in Dallas; and possibly some of the more reputable papers, too. Photo after blurry photo was followed by headlines such as ‘Dallas’ Pack Prince Living the High Life’ or ‘Dallas’ Most Eligible Alpha Gets a Little Wild’. He didn't remember much about last night, but the succession of images left little to the imagination. Sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll indeed.

Needless to say, his father was not pleased. The four missed calls in his notification bar promised nothing good. Jensen was tempted to ignore them, but he knew doing so would just make matters worse. Ignoring his father promised only pain. And yelling. Lots of yelling. So as soon as he had some coffee in his stomach, he made the call.

“Hi, Dad.” He began cautiously. “You called?”

“Jensen Ross Ackles, your mother and I raised you better than this.” The tightly controlled anger in his father's voice indicated that he was in deeper shit than he’d originally thought. The man was seriously pissed. “What's gotten into you, boy? Do you understand what you've done?”

“It’s fine, Dad,” Jensen said placatingly. “This’ll blow over quickly, just like every other time. By tomorrow morning, they'll be publishing some new story about someone else and no one will even remember it happened.”

His father didn't want to hear it. “The humans may forget and move on, but the Pack is not quite so forgiving, Jensen. They're keeping close tabs on you and what they're seeing has them nervous.”

“It's just one incident, Dad. I sincerely doubt the Pack is going to remove me from succession for a little partying.” Jensen shook his head and gave a short laugh. His father had a point, but he was blowing this way out of proportion. Jensen was still young, only twenty-six, and he was an alpha after all. Of course he wanted to go out with his friends and have fun, do a line or two, maybe fuck a couple betas. It was only natural. He would settle when he was mated; that was what omegas were for.

“A little partying would be fine with the Pack, if that was all you were doing, Jensen, but instead you're going out every night and making a fool of yourself!” Jensen opened his mouth to protest before wisely censoring himself. There was no use trying to interrupt his father when he worked himself into one of these moods. “This isn't the first time the magazines have set off gossip about your potential as Pack Alpha, but you're getting older now, son, and they want to see you maturing and settling down.”

“I don't-”

“I know you don't, Jensen, but unless you wish to give up your claim on Dallas Pack, you're going to have to.” His father’s tone softened, almost apologetic, but brooking no argument. He meant business. “Come to my office this afternoon. We'll talk about this.”

Jensen figured there was no point in protesting, so instead he shrugged and said, “Alright. I'll be there in an hour.”

The line went dead. Jensen sighed and tossed his phone on the counter. This was a disaster, and he didn't see any way of talking himself out of this one. Once Alpha Ackles made up his mind about something, there was no changing it. He was going to have to find a mate.

He sat at his breakfast bar for several minutes after the phone call, letting it all sink in and finishing up his mug of coffee. A headache still pulsed relentlessly behind his left eye, but it was dulled by caffeine. He considered taking a couple aspirin but they wouldn't do much good for him. Human medicines had a weaker effect on Weres. The hangover should be gone in a couple hours anyway.

Finally, he dragged himself to his feet and put the cup in the dishwasher before heading to his bedroom. It was at the back of the apartment, complete with an en suite, floor to ceiling windows, and a balcony with a view of downtown Dallas. Usually he could appreciate the beauty of the early afternoon sunlight flooding the room, but today it just hurt his eyes and fanned the annoyance simmering in his gut. With perhaps more force than necessary, he yanked the thick blue curtains shut, leaving the room dim. Much better.

He grabbed a pair of old jeans and a t-shirt from his walk-in before starting the shower in the en suite. Once the water was warm enough he stripped and stepped under the spray. The soothing fall of water relaxed him, washing away his tension. He began to feel calmer.

By the time he'd finished washing and dressed himself, the headache had mostly receded and his head felt a little clearer. He slipped on his shoes, grabbed his keys and headed down to the garage.

An hour later, he was pulling into the parking lot of Dallas Pack’s municipal building. Three stories high, built of red brick, it housed the offices of the Pack Alpha and the other Pack officials, as well as the pack’s fire and police services. Basically, it was like City Hall but downsized. He parked in the back of the lot and headed determinedly for the front doors.

“Well, well, well. Look who the cat dragged in.”

Lita, an older beta, leaned her elbows up on the counter and grinned. Her left cheek bulged with the ubiquitous mint candy she was always sucking on.

“Hey, Lita,” Jensen reached for the glass bowl of candies she kept behind her desk but his hand was slapped away. “Hey!”

“Don't you ‘hey, Lita’ me, mister. I haven't seen you in, what, how long has it been? A year? Too good to visit ol’ Lita now that you're grown? Hm?” She pouted playfully.

“I've been busy,” Jensen protested. “Dad has me helping out at Ackles Corp.”

“Alright, okay, I forgive you. Come here, let me see you.” She stood from her chair and peered into his eyes for a minute. She shook her head. “Tsk. You look too tired.”

“Well, you know me, Lita. Work hard, play hard.” He winked. “I gotta go up and talk to my father. Catch you when I'm done, okay?”

“You'd better.”

Jensen laughed and headed for the elevators. He'd missed Lita during his time away from Pack land. She'd been manning the front desk of the municipal building since he was just a little kid and she was a fresh-faced college graduate new to Dallas Pack. They used to hang out together whenever his father dragged him to the office to ‘get experience’.

He rode to the third floor alone. When the doors of the elevator slid open, he was suddenly seized with an irrational bout of nerves. He took a deep breath and followed the linoleum tiles to the frosted glass door of his father's office. The brass plaque on the wall read ‘High Alpha Ackles of Dallas Pack’.

He knocked.

“Come in,” His father's deep voice responded. Jensen pushed open the door and stepped inside.

It was just as he remembered it. Same cream wallpaper, same brown carpet. Big oak desk in front of the sole window, several armchairs, the wall to wall bookshelves. Someday this would be his.

“Have a seat, Jensen.” Alpha Ackles gestured to the chair on the other side of his desk. Jensen sat, eyeing his father warily.

“I'd like to send out the formal announcement that you're in need of a mate by the end of the week at the latest.”

“What?” Jensen gaped, mouth opening and closing uselessly. “B-but, we didn't even agree on a mateship yet. I can keep a lower profile, stay out of the tabloids. The Pack never has to know what I do in my own time, and when I'm ready to take over as Pack Alpha then I'll get mated.”

“That was the deal we made last year and yet, here we are. I don't want to force you, Jensen, but I will. The Pack is unsure about their future right now. It's our job to give them stability.”

“By mating me off to the first beta who offers?” Jensen knew he was being childish. He didn't need the look of exasperation he got from his father to tell him that. But he just crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

“I do want you to be happy with your mate, Jensen. There will be a process, you’ll have options.”

“Thanks,” Jensen spat sarcastically. “So courteous of you.”

Alpha Ackles sighed and rubbed at his temples. He loved his youngest son, but the boy never missed an opportunity to test him. “Do you have any preferences you’d like me keep in mind while conducting the interviews?”

“Dad, this is crazy!” Jensen cried. “At least give me a couple months, let me get used to the idea of a mateship.”

A couple months would give him time to convince his dad that this was an unnecessarily drastic reaction. He could straighten up his act, stay out of the tabloids, maybe even find a vapid little beta to court. Wouldn’t be too hard with the way they practically threw themselves at his feet. Of course the relationship would never go anywhere, but it’d show his father he was ‘maturing’.

“And give you time to try and weasel your way out of this?” Alan raised his eyebrows. “I know you, Jensen. I’ve made my decision. This is final.”

Jensen deflated. Apparently his father was serious about the mateship this time and he didn’t seem like he was going to cave. He was going to be mated whether he liked it or not. Just when Jensen thought he'd finally wrested control of his life from his father, it turned out his father had never really let go of it.

“Fine.” He snapped. “Do I at least get to choose who the lucky beta or omega will be? Or will you be deciding that for me as well?”

“Don’t be childish,” his father reprimanded. Jensen huffed and glared defiantly. “Of course you’ll be able to choose; like I said, we want you to be happy. Your mother and I will have the final say, but I trust you to choose someone who suit your needs as well as the pack’s.”

“I understand.” Jensen gritted out. “May I go?”

“Yes,” his father sighed, getting to his feet as well. He rounded the desk and laid a firm hand on Jensen’s shoulder, forcing him to pause. “I know you’re angry about this, son, but I truly think this will be what’s best for you in the long run. I didn’t want to mate either when I was your age, but I don’t regret it now. Your mother had this way about her; she knew just what I needed, even when I didn’t know myself.”

Alpha Ackles clapped his son on the shoulder and stepped back, releasing him. Jensen strode past his father, not bothering with a reply, and let the door slam behind him.

 

~*~  
**_Jared_**

The kitchen was sweltering in the Texas summer heat. Jared was feeling pretty sympathetic towards the bacon sizzling in the pan on the stovetop. He kinda knew how it felt, what with the sun currently frying his innards. He scooped up an unopened letter from the counter and fanned himself for a minute before opening the oven to check on his muffins. As he was pulling the first batch out, the back door swung open and his father stepped inside.

“Hey, Dad, just in time. Breakfast’s ready,” Jared smiled tentatively in the Alpha’s direction before reaching into the oven for the second pan. At his father's silence, he turned to see what was wrong and found the man assessing him with a calculating look in his eye. “Uh, what's up?”

“Dallas Pack’s next in line is looking for a mate.” Gerry answered. Jared’s brow furrowed.

“The Ackles’ son? I thought Josh Ackles had a beta?”

“He stepped aside when he mated, said something about wanting to focus solely on family. Silly, if you ask me. No, it's Jensen who's looking for a mate. He's set to inherit the title when his old man passes.” Gerry rolled his eyes dismissively and settled into the chair at the head of the breakfast table. “Get me a plate, would ya?”

“Sure.” Jared turned back to the counter and pulled four plates from the cabinet. As he dished up the bacon, eggs, and muffins, he couldn't help but wonder why his father was bringing this up. He brought his father's plate over and was making for the stairs to get his mother and sister when Gerry stopped him.

“Have a seat, Jared. I want to talk to you about something.”

“But the food’ll get cold--” Jared tried to protest.

“I said, sit.” The Alpha’s voice compelled Jared several steps backward and into a seat. Anger curled in the pit of his stomach, but there was nothing he could do about it. He was obligated to obey the command of his Alpha.

“Good.” Gerry took several bites of his muffin and chewed and swallowed before he spoke again, letting Jared stew. “Now, I've decided to send you up to Dallas. It's time for you to start thinking about a mateship anyway and if you manage to catch the eye of ‘Dallas’ most eligible alpha’, well, even better.”

“I hardly--” Jared started in his most reasonable tone. His father spoke right over him.

“You know we've been having problems with the alliance of smaller packs trying to take parts of our Pack land. Ties to Dallas’ Pack Alpha’ll put them back in their places.”

“Dad, I--”

“For God’s sake, Jared!” His father's fist came down on the table making the dishes rattle. Jared flinched. “Why do you always have to argue? I let you have your little freedoms, but when it comes down to it, I am your Alpha, omega. You will obey me.”

“Yes, sir.” Jared bowed his head. He knew when to quit pushing and the time was now. Any further and he'd have a couple bruises to show for it.

“Go get your mother and sister.”

Jared fled upstairs.

*

Three days later, Jared found himself standing in the driveway of his childhood home with his bags all packed and the car waiting. Somehow, in the span of just a few days, his whole world was changing, spinning out of orbit. Finding a mate had been the last thing on his mind --omegas were typically fertile long past the prime of most human women and betas, so it wasn't like he had to worry about finding a mate while he was still able to produce a litter. He'd thought he would have some time before his father started pushing to get him mated.

“Are you listening to me, omega?” Gerry barked, shaking Jared’s shoulder roughly.

“Yes, sir. Sorry.” Jared blinked, focusing back on his father’s serious face.

“You know how important this opportunity is for our pack. We're all counting on you, Jared, and I know you'll do your best to please us, right?” The alpha’s fingers tightened, digging into the fabric of Jared’s t-shirt.

“Of course, Dad,” he answered. And it was true; he understood the gravity of the situation. When his father had overthrown the previous Pack Alpha and taken over San Antonio Pack, he hadn't earned himself any friends, but he'd gained plenty of enemies. His control was tenuous at best and if another Pack seriously attempted a coup, he had no one to back him up. Everyone knew what happened to Alphas and their families when they were forcibly deposed.

“Good. Now, I want you to stay close to Kenny and Will while you're on Pack land. There'll be crowds of unmated alphas sniffing after Jensen’s rejects and I doubt he'll be willing to settle for another alpha’s sloppy seconds.” Gerry said. It stung to hear his father sound so flippant while talking about the possibility of own son being assaulted.

“Yes, sir.” Jared felt like a broken record, nodding and smiling dutifully. At least in Dallas he'd be free from his father's dominance.

The older man glanced at his watch. “Y’all should probably be getting on the road just about now. Said goodbye to Meg and your mother?”

Jared nodded. There'd been tearful hugs and kisses in the hallway, away from the scornful eyes of his father. They were inside now, Mama cooking breakfast in the kitchen.

“Well then. Good luck, Jared.” We're counting on you. Gerry smiled. “I know I don't say it much, but I love you, son. I know you'll do us proud.”

“Thanks, Dad. I love you, too.” Jared was suddenly all choked up. He blinked away the wetness in his eyes.

“Alrighty. Off you go.” Gerry opened the car door and gestured to the backseat. Jared climbed in, reached for his seatbelt. The door slammed shut.

“Ready, omega?” Kenny’s gruff voice came from the driver's seat. He was a burly, stereotypical alpha, always treating Jared like some delicate little flower, but he meant well. Jared liked him. In the passenger’s seat was Will, a younger alpha. He’d been making increasingly aggressive passes at Jared since the omega’s first heat, several years ago. When Jared was fifteen, Will had cornered Jared in his room when he was home alone and felt him up a bit, but luckily his parents had returned before anything worse could happen. Since then, the alpha had always made Jared’s skin crawl, but he’d never complained to his father about having him on his security detail because then he’d have to explain what happened that night.

“Jared,” Will snapped when Jared didn’t answer fast enough. He turned in his seat, cold eyes skimming up the omega’s body before landing on his face. “Are you ready?”

“Y-yeah.” Jared stuttered, hunching in on himself. Will smirked, turned back to face front.

Kenny started the engine and reversed out of the driveway. Jared watched his father, still standing in the gravel, until he was too small to see anymore. Then he turned his attention to the road ahead of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first J2 fic, so hopefully you're liking it so far.The first chapter isn't too exciting, I know, but stick with me. Next chapter J2 will meet for the first time and after that there'll be plenty of drama to look forward to ;) 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for all the sweet comments I got! Here's the second chapter, hope it's as good as the first...

_~*~_  
**_JARED_**

Just like his father had predicted, Dallas Pack lands were, well, packed. Every which way he turned he was confronted with new scents, faces, and names. Hundreds of non-pack alphas, betas, and omegas had flocked to Dallas, only a fraction of them hoping to catch Jensen’s eye. The rest were companions, tutors, servants and bodyguards to the hopefuls. Jared seemed to be the only one without an entourage of staff in tow.

San Antonio Pack had never been particularly wealthy or important, always overshadowed by the hugeness that was Dallas Pack. So finding himself surrounded by the upper echelons of Were society was understandably intimidating. How could he compare to the beta daughter of New York City Pack’s High Alpha? He was sorely tempted to admit defeat and head home, but he feared his father's wrath. Better to stay and give it his all, so he could say he'd tried, than to run away with his tail between his legs and listen to his father berate him for ‘betraying the Pack’.

After arriving on pack land, they'd been directed to the municipal building, and from there, to the guesthouse. Jared was given his own room on the second floor while Kenny and Will shared the one next door. The rooms were bright and airy, with several windows overlooking the garden, and comfortable, too. The king bed and sectional couches were piled high with pillows and blankets, which Jared secretly appreciated. As an omega, he tended to prefer the cozy, homey decor over anything too stark and impersonal.

Staying in the guesthouse was sort of like high school all over again, except this time he was at the absolute bottom of the food-chain. The other betas and omegas formed cliques based on their states and regions, and the hierarchy within each clique was decided by the wealth and influence of each pack. Needless to say, Jared didn't rank very high. Hardly anyone spoke more than a few words to him, and if they did, it wasn't out of the kindness of their own hearts.

He took to staying in his room or exploring alone outdoors. It was much more peaceful, less suffocating than the common room of the guesthouse. He was just beginning to settle into a routine.

Then, on Jared’s eighth day in Dallas, he was summoned to the Pack Alpha’s office.

Kenny and Will drove him there and escorted him as far as the third floor of the municipal building. They weren't allowed inside the office during Jared’s interview, though, for the fear that their presence might hinder his ability to answer the questions thoroughly and honestly.

Jared paused, nervous, between them before lifting his arm and knocking softly on the door.

“Come in,” Alpha Ackles called. Kenny gave him an encouraging smile. Jared took a deep breath and went in.

The Pack Alpha’s office was surprisingly simple. Tasteful was a word that came to mind. It lacked the frill and posturing of his father’s study back at home, with its paneled walls, thick carpets, mahogany desk, and top of the line electronics. This was the office of an alpha secure in his position. He felt no need to show off; everyone already knew the power he held.

“Please, sit.” Alpha Ackles gestured to the chair opposite his desk. Jared sat, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap. Every memory of his mother constantly nagging him about posture rushed back to him and he stiffened his spine. “Jared Padalecki, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you're from San Antonio Pack?” Jared nodded. “Well, I'd like to officially welcome you to Dallas Pack lands. I hope you've been enjoying your stay here.”

“Thank you, sir. I have.” Jared cleared his throat, gaze darting around the room before dropping back to the desk.

“Good. Have you met my son, Jared?”

“No.” He refrained from mentioning the reputation that preceded the alpha. The pack had told him all about Jensen before he left for Dallas. He was an alpha’s alpha; he lived by the code of fight, drink, fuck (not necessarily in that order). Hardly a week went by where he wasn't making a splash in the tabloids and gossip magazines of Dallas.

“But you've heard of him,” Alpha Ackles prompted, seemingly privy to Jared’s unvoiced thoughts. His face was neutral, hands folded calmly on the desk. “You may be honest.”

“Yes,” Jared finally answered. “My father told me a bit about him before I came here.” It was true, it just omitted a few unpleasant details.

“I see.” Alpha Ackles scanned his face for a moment, frowning, and Jared was suddenly afraid he'd accidentally said something wrong. But then the Alpha was smiling and leaning back in his chair and Jared let out the breath he was holding.

After that, the questions were easier. Simple, straightforward, safe. Alpha Ackles asked about his childhood, his academics, his family, all normal stuff for a mateship interview. Jared began to relax, let himself answer as genuinely as he could.

When Alpha Ackles got to his feet and announced the interview was done, Jared was actually surprised to see that a whole hour had passed. He followed the Alpha to the door.

“Thank you for meeting with me, Jared.” The Alpha said, and held out his hand.

Jared shook it. “Thank you for allowing me to, Alpha.”

The Alpha chuckled at his response, shaking his head slightly. “You're a very good omega, Jared; you have such impeccable manners. Personally, I think you'd make the perfect mate for my son, but ultimately the choice is Jensen's.”

A warm haze of pleasure settled over Jared at the Alpha’s high praise. He couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. “Thank you, Alpha.”

“You're quite welcome. I hope to see you again.” Alpha Ackles said before nodding to Kenny and Will. “Have a good day, gentlemen.”

At the obvious dismissal, the two alphas herded Jared away. He followed them obediently, basking in the glow of the Alpha’s words. He didn't necessarily want to _mate_ Jensen, and he thought it unlikely that Jensen would want to mate him either, but it was nice to know the High Alpha thought him good enough for his son.

 

 

_~*~_  
**_Jensen_ **

Jensen sighed and reached for another file. The printed information sheet lay at the top, stapled to a half sheet of notes in his father’s neat handwriting. A photo was clipped to the back of the packet.

He read through the short sheet of notes, his smile growing with every line. Jared Padalecki seemed perfect; shy, obedient, eager to please, and unobtrusive. Everything Jensen would look for in a mate. And best of all, he had Alpha Ackles’s seal of approval, which meant he could avoid his father kicking up a fuss.

He set aside the paper and reached for the photo. Call him shallow, but no matter how perfect this omega seemed, if the man was ugly it was a no-go. He needn't have worried.

The omega was gorgeous. He was lanky, coltish, almost like he had yet to grow out of teenhood. His hair was long. with several cowlicks and unruly strands that clung to high cheekbones and pink flushed cheeks. The eyes that stared up at him were a beautiful mixture of green, brown, and blue, framed by long brown eyelashes. Jensen was captivated. An omega that beautiful was _welcome_ to share his bed for the rest of his life.

Just to be sure, he flipped through the rest of the files, but as he'd suspected no one could quite compare to Jared. He tossed the last photo aside and reached for his phone.

“Hello?” His father answered groggily. “Jensen?”

“Hey, Dad. Sorry to call so late, sounds like I woke you up.”

“No, no, I was just finishing up in the office. What can I do for you?” The rustle of papers in the background confirmed his father's words. Ever since Jensen could remember, his father worked late into the night. Sometimes he stopped by the house for supper before heading back to the office. Other times he would simply disappear for days at a time, a ghost who left his rumpled suits in the laundry but was never seen.

“I was hoping you could get in contact with one of the prospective omegas for me. Jared Padalecki.”

Silence. Jensen could practically hear his father's smug expression. “...yes, I believe that would be possible.”

Jensen rolled his eyes. “Thanks. Ask him if 12:30 at _The Roadhouse_  works.”

“I certainly will. Good night, Jensen.”

“‘night.” Jensen hung up.

_~*~_

The next morning, he woke to a text from his father: _He'll be there._

Jensen grinned and tossed his phone aside, heading for the kitchen. The morning was off to a good start.

He made himself a cup of coffee and set about looking for something to eat. His cupboards were pretty much empty except for a box of stale cheerios, and the refrigerator's contents revealed a pack of ham, a bottle of mustard, and a carton of milk. He sighed and made a mental note to order some more groceries this afternoon.

Grudgingly, he finished his coffee and headed back to his room. If there was nothing to eat here, he had no choice but to wait until he got to the restaurant. A quick glance at the clock told him it was almost eleven, which meant he should probably start getting ready for his date. He took a quick shower and wrapped himself in a towel while he shaved and brushed his teeth.

He threw on a pair of dark jeans and a button-down shirt, more casual than what he normally wore, but nice enough for a first date. Clothing had never mattered much and he'd never really been one for anything too gaudy; he tended to look polished and composed no matter what he wore, thanks to his good genes. Today, though, he had an omega to impress, so he slipped on the diamond encrusted Rolex his mother had given him last Christmas. San Antonio Pack wasn’t exactly known for their great financial prowess so Jensen figured a couple flashy displays of wealth couldn't go amiss when attempting to lure Jared in.

Grabbing his car keys, he made his way down to the garage. He climbed into his black Audi with the tinted windows and started up her engine. In the adjacent spot was his ‘67 Impala, but it was too conspicuous for today's excursion. Everyone knew it was his car and today was not a day he wanted the paparazzi constantly on his tail.

When he arrived on pack land it was just a little after noon. Dallas Pack was situated about forty-five minutes from the big city -- close enough that some pack Weres even commuted to the city for work everyday -- and yet the two places couldn't be more different. The Dallas Pack lands were akin to a small, rural town, in terms of both size and atmosphere. And, while Jensen loved the fast pace of Dallas’s city life, he always felt a sense of peace and security when returning to the place of his childhood.

Shaking off the sudden sentimentality, Jensen pulled into the parking lot of _The Roadhouse_. The restaurant was always a favorite of his, even as a pup. It wasn't exactly the Michelin star establishments he'd grown accustomed to in Dallas, but it would always hold a special place in his heart.

The minute he stepped foot inside, he was accosted by an armful of perky blonde beta. “Jensen!” She yelled, squeezing his ribs.

He winced and pulled out of her grip, but he couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. “Ouch. Jesus, Alona, tryin’ to crush me to death?”

“Think of it as punishment for staying away so long.” She crossed her arms with a huff. “Where have you been?”

“Same place I always am. You know you could've come to visit, brat.”

“Yeah, yeah. Well, still. Sam missed you.” She smacked his arm lightly, still smiling. All was clearly forgiven. Jensen grinned back and ruffled her hair, laughing at her squeal of annoyance. “Honestly, Jensen! Jeez, I can't believe I ever missed your sorry ass.”

“Oh, please. You love my ass and you know it,” Jensen smirked. “Now, would you mind actually doing your job and showing me to a table?”

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Alona said sarcastically before switching to a simpering falsetto. “Please, sir, allow me to escort you to your seat.”

Jensen rolled his eyes but followed her past the bar, which was his usual haunt, to a booth at the back of the restaurant. As he took his seat, she dropped a couple menus onto the table and pulled out her notepad. “The usual?”

“Yeah. And a cup of coffee. And tell Sam I say ‘hi’.”

“Will do.” Alona winked and spun on her heel, heading back to the kitchen. Jensen watched her go with a fond smile.

Alona had been a good friend of his since they were both pups. She had grown up beautiful -- no sane Were would deny it, not even Jensen. They'd even given the dating thing a try a couple of years ago, but it’d never really led anywhere, much to the dismay of his parents. Luckily, unlike many of Jensen's past relationships, their breakup had been amicable and they were easily able to return to being just friends.

She returned with a glass of Coke and a carafe of steaming coffee, both of which she set on the table before him. “Soo…” She started as she poured out a cup of coffee for him. “Rumor has it you’re here to meet someone.”

Jensen groaned. “I swear, my father’s an old woman at heart. If you must know, yes, I’m here for a preliminary meeting with one of the prospective omegas.”

“I wanna name, Jensen. Give me a name.” She made little grabby motions with her hands.

Jensen rolled his eyes, but grudgingly gave her what she wanted. “His name is Jared Padalecki. Comes from San Antonio Pack.”

Alona wrinkled her nose in confusion. “Your father's okay with that?”

“Surprisingly, yeah,” He shrugged. “He thinks the kid’ll be a good influence or some shit. But this is just a preliminary, anyway. Who knows who I'll really end up with?”

“True.” Alona said distractedly, suddenly craning her neck to see the front of the restaurant. Jensen turned in his booth, trying to get a glimpse of whatever she was looking at. She turned back to him with a grin and bounced on the balls of her feet. “Looks like your date’s here, Jensen.”

Sure enough, standing by the hostess station was Jared. He was standing between two burly alphas who Jensen presumed were his bodyguards. The two of them were talking, but Jared seemed distracted, staring off into space. Nervous, if what his dad said about Jared’s temperament was true.

“He looks cute.” Alona commented. “I'll go bring ‘em over here. You ready?”

“Yup.” Jensen sat up a little straighter, pasted on his customary smirk. He was ready to charm the pants of Jared -- hopefully literally. The omega would never know what hit him.

 

 

_~*~_  
**_Jared_ **

Jared arrived at _The Roadhouse_  five minutes before the agreed upon meeting time. Kenny had driven them from the guesthouse, Will ever present in the passenger’s seat. The closer they got, the higher Jared’s anxiety had mounted, and he was a nervous wreck when they finally pulled into the parking lot. His palms were sweating, his heart and mind racing as he followed his bodyguards inside the dimly lit restaurant.

For the life of him, he still couldn’t figure out why Jensen Ackles had requested to meet him. Him, of all the richer, prettier, more respectable potential mates just waiting for the chance to charm Jensen. When he’d received the text, late last night, from High Alpha Ackles he almost couldn’t believe his eyes, and the disbelief still hadn’t quite abated. Jared was nothing special, his pack was nothing special, there was absolutely nothing enticing about him. The only thing he could think was that this was some type of prank and he’d been preparing himself for abject humiliation all morning.

“Jared,” Will hissed, snapping his attention back to the present. He met the alpha’s stormy eyes briefly before looking away.

“Yes, sorry.” Jared apologized, glancing up at the waitress standing in front of them. She smiled patiently and shifted the menus tucked under her arm. “Um, I’m here to meet Alpha Jensen. Is he-”

“Of course!” The blonde grinned. Her name tag read ‘Alona’. “Right this way, please.” She turned and led them past the bar, to a small private booth. Jared followed, biting at his lip, with Will and Kenny right on his heels.

“Here you are,” She gestured to the bench and Jared sat hesitantly, glancing up at the other occupant of the table,

Jensen Ackles was even more beautiful in person, he decided, as cliche as it may be. His eyes were a lovely vibrant green, and a smattering of faded freckles adorned his cheeks. When he smiled, he seemed genuinely pleased to see Jared, eyes crinkling at the corners. Jared felt an instant crush beginning to form.

“Hi, Jared.” Jensen’s voice was deep and smooth, oozing charisma. Jared smiled shakily.

“H-hi,” Jared stuttered. “Um, it’s very nice to meet you, Alpha.” The minute the words escaped his mouth, he berated his himself internally. Here he was, not even a minute into their meeting, already bumbling about like an idiot and letting himself be starstruck by Ackles’s charm. He was supposed to be on his guard.

Jensen chuckled. “Nice to meet you, too. And no need to be so formal, you can just address me as Jensen.”

“Can I get you anything to drink, sir?” Alona broke in. Jared had forgotten about her.

“Just an iced tea, please.” He said, offering a small smile. “Thank you.”

Alona left with a nod, and Jared refocused his attention on the alpha sitting across from him. Jensen took a slow sip of his coffee and set the mug aside before leaning forward. His green eyes settled unnervingly on Jared’s face, studying him. Despite his best efforts to suppress it, he felt a blush rising in his cheeks from the unabashed scrutiny.

A moment later, Jensen leaned back, smirking, and turned his gaze to the laminated menu in front of him. “The burgers here are pretty good, but if you ask me, the fish sandwich is where it's really at.” He winked.

“Oh, um,” Jared floundered. Internally, he cursed the alpha and his ability to tie Jared’s tongue in knots. “So you come here often?”

“Yeah, my family used to come here a lot when I was a kid. Haven't visited too recently, though. Not since I moved out to Dallas.”

“You live full-time in the city?” Jared asked, curiosity piqued. It wasn't unheard of for Weres to move to big cities if their packs were very rural or isolated, but Dallas Pack was so close to the city it was far more common for pack members to simply commute.

“Penthouse apartment in downtown Dallas,” Jensen replied smugly. “Gorgeous views, maybe I'll bring you up sometime?” He raised an eyebrow, tone going flirtatious.

Before Jared could think of an appropriately coy response, Alona returned with his iced tea.

“Thank you,” He said politely, taking a small sip. It was perfect; not too sweet and just a hint of lemon.

“You're welcome,” Alona nodded. “Ready to order?”

“I'll have the cheeseburger and fries,” Jensen started, handing the menu to Alona as he spoke. “And maybe a beer with that? Thanks, Al.”

“Okay, cheeseburger and a beer, comin’ right up. And what can I get for you, Jared?”

“The fish sandwich and a side of fries, please.” He closed the menu and placed it in her waiting hand.

“Cheeseburger, fish sandwich, and a beer. Got it,” Alona flashed an infectious grin as she stuffed her notepad back into her apron pocket. “That'll be right out for you.”

As they waited, Jensen began to question him incessantly. He wanted to know about Jared’s family, his friends, what he did in his spare time, and he seemed so genuinely interested Jared kept forgetting to be on guard for any tomfoolery. Which could be the only explanation as to how he missed Jensen softly laying his hand over Jared’s on the tabletop, stroking Jared’s knuckles with his thumb.

Of course, as soon as Jared noticed, he tried to pull his hand back, cursing himself for being lulled into a false sense of security. But Jensen didn't let go, tightening his grip ever so slightly.

“Ah, ah, ah,” He chided. “Just relax. You've been so tense ever since you got here, like you're waiting for me to attack you or something.”

“Sorry,” Jared whispered, hanging his head. He thought he'd been doing a pretty good job of playing it cool. “It's just…”

“Well, whatever it is, let it go. We're here to have a good time.” Jensen waved away Jared’s unease.”I promise not to ravish you.”

Jared choked, looking around to see if anyone was close enough to hear Jensen's impropriety. “Alpha!”

“Yet.” Jensen added with wink. Jared shook his head, but he couldn't help the little laugh that escaped. Despite himself, Jared was quickly warming up to Jensen. Maybe he wasn't as bad as everyone made him out to be.


	3. Chapter Three

~*~

**_Jensen_ **

 

Over the next couple weeks, Jensen met with several of the other prospective betas and omegas. None of them compared to Jared, but he wanted to weigh his options before making too hasty a decision. 

 

Jared wasn't exactly the best prospect politically and pack-wise. He came from a weak and unstable pack, had little wealth to offer, and no diplomatic skills whatsoever. Hell, even his knowledge of High Alphas was outdated by several years. It would require quite a bit tutoring and time to mold Jared into a competent First Omega. 

 

But when it came to Jensen's own desires and needs? Jared was fucking perfect. There was something compelling about him, something that made Jensen actually want to spend time with him, to get to know him. Not to mention how gorgeous he was, with those model-long legs and hazel cat-eyes. But the best part was how easily manipulated the boy was.

 

And yeah, that made him sound like a class-A douche, but, well, he kinda was. Like he’d tried telling his father, he was still young and his behavior was only natural for an alpha in his prime. He'd settle down when he was ready and he wasn't ready yet.

 

That's where Jared came in. A mateship to him would keep Jensen's father off his back, but allow him to keep his lifestyle (just a little more privately), while at the same time, offering protection to Jared’s pack. Everyone had heard about the recent attacks on Gerald Padalecki’s men; it was clear he could use a little help from Dallas Pack in pushing back the upstarts. And San Antonio Pack’s need for protection would be the perfect leverage to keep Jared compliant.

 

Jensen had thought about this a lot, running through every contingency that could possibly come up, and he'd decided to go through with it. The potential gains were far greater than the potential losses.

 

The next step was to inform his father, so that Sunday night, he headed to his parents’ house for dinner. His mother greeted him with a surprised smile and a tight hug. Jensen allowed her to hold him for a couple seconds, breathing in the familiar scent of her perfume, before pulling back.

 

“Hey, Mom. Is Dad home?”

 

“Yes, he’s in his office upstairs. Come in, he’ll be down for dinner in thirty minutes or so.” She stepped back to allow Jensen to step into the hallway. He paused to kick off his shoes and followed her to the living room, where he flopped down on the sofa. She sat in the armchair across from him. “So what brings you here? I was beginning to think you’d lost our address.”

 

Jensen winced at her raised eyebrow and looked down sheepishly at his lap. “Sorry, Mom, I’ll try to remember to come by more often. But I know you’ll be happy about why I’m here.”

 

Her eyes grew wide at his implication, hand coming up to cover her mouth. “Jensen, you didn’t!”

 

“Yeah. I made my choice.” He grinned at her obvious excitement. “Jared Padalecki. The San Antonio omega. We met last week and we really clicked-- there’s just something about him. I want to see him again, of course, but I honestly think he’s the one.” 

 

“Oh, baby, I’m so happy for you! I know your father will be, too. I honestly thought you would fight this much longer. I’m glad you’ve found someone worth settling down for.” 

 

Seeing her enthusiasm, Jensen felt a little guilty for leading her to believe he was truly enamored with Jared, but he pushed it down. This was the best way to keep everyone happy, and she never had to know about his ulterior motives. So he put on a lovesick grin and nodded along to her well-meaning courtship advice.

 

When Jensen’s father finally emerged from his office to join them at the dinner table, Donna could hardly contain her excitement. She kept shooting Jensen glances over the pot roast until he nodded his head, giving her the go-ahead. Alan tracked their little interactions with a bemused frown, fixing his wife with a questioning stare when she cleared her throat.

 

“Alan, Jensen has some good news to share: he thinks he has his decision!” 

 

The Alpha raised his eyebrows, caught off guard by his wife’s announcement, but quickly rallied. He leaned over and clapped Jensen on the back, smiling. “That’s great news, Jensen. And may I ask who it was that caught your eye?”

 

“Jared Padalecki, the first omega I met with. If I remember correctly, he had high praise from you.” 

 

“Ah, yes, the Padalecki boy.” Alan nodded, scooping another helping of mashed potatoes onto his plate. “Good. I think he’ll be good for you; calm you down a little.”

 

“So you approve?” Jensen clarified, wanting to be sure before moving the plan along. His father nodded. “Alright, I just wanted to make sure I had your permission before I begin courting Jared. I think I’ll stop by the guesthouse tomorrow, take him out to breakfast, maybe bring him out to Dallas for some sightseeing.”

 

“That sounds lovely, hon. Maybe you can bring him by next Sunday for dinner? Mac will be home and you can introduce us all.” Donna suggested earnestly. Jensen just knew she was already making plans in her head, trying to decide what to serve, what to make for dessert, which dishes to use. She would want everything to be perfect.  

 

“I’ll ask him,” Jensen promised, which seemed to satisfy her. Then he steered the conversation towards Pack politics and let his father take over before either one of them could continue grilling him about Jared.

 

The rest of the dinner went well. Donna filled him in on Mac’s exploits at school, which were much tamer than his ever were, and bragged about her wonderful grades and academic prowess. Jensen rolled his eyes and pretended to be unimpressed, but he really was proud of his little sister; she was doing well for herself. After the dinner dishes were cleared away, Jensen joined his parents in the living room for dessert -- a delicious German chocolate cake. Around nine o’clock, he stood, knowing he should head home before it got too late. He said his goodbyes and allowed his mother to walk him out to his car.

 

“Have fun on your date, tomorrow,” She beamed at him. “I expect a full report.”

 

“Okay, okay.” He bent down to kiss her on the cheek. “I’ll call you and let you know if Jared agrees to dinner on Sunday.”

 

“You’d better.” She says, eyes sparkling as she hits him playfully on the shoulder. “Don’t you forget, or I’ll be calling you at all hours of the night and day until you give me the news. Now, go on and get home. Drive safe.”

 

Jensen laughed at her threat, knowing she’d probably go through with it, too. “Goodnight, Mom. See you soon, okay?” He climbed into his car and started the ignition, watching her wave and walk back up to the house. He waved back and pulled out of the driveway.

 

Traffic was minimal on the way home. He made pretty good time, arriving home around ten. The doorman greeted him with a smile and a nod as Jensen passed him to head up to his apartment. Jensen smiled back, distracted by thoughts of tomorrow.

 

It was really a little late to be setting up anything for the next day, but he was impatient to get this show on the road. Besides, Jared would probably be excited enough about Jensen’s offer that he’d hardly mind the time. 

 

Letting himself into his apartment, he sat down at the dining room table and dialed up Jared’s alpha bodyguards. 

 

It was the younger one who answered. His voice was gruff and obviously annoyed as he spat, “Who is this?”

 

“Jensen Ackles,” He drawled, pleased by the way the younger man suddenly cleared his throat and changed his tone.

 

“Oh, Alpha Ackles, to what do I owe this pleasure?” 

 

“I’d like to arrange another date with Jared. I’ll be by at ten tomorrow to take him out to breakfast.” Jensen said coolly. The bodyguard mumbled something about short notice. “Is there a problem?”

 

“No sir, of course not. I’ll inform Jared.”

 

“Excellent.” Jensen hung up without so much as a goodbye, tossing his phone down on the tabletop. 

  
  
  
  
  


~*~

**_Jared_ **

 

Jared stepped out of the shower, sighing contentedly as he turned off the hot water. Steam hung thick in the air, obscuring the large mirror over the sink. He patted himself dry with one of the large, fluffy grey towels provided with the room and stepped into the adjoining bedroom to find some pajamas. But before he could get dressed there was a loud pounding on his door. 

 

“Just a minute,” he called, struggling into a pair of boxers. But whoever it was knocked again, more impatiently this time. Jared rolled his eyes. Probably just another guest, too drunk to realize this wasn’t the room of one of their entourage of staff or friends. Easily dealt with. He quickly threw on his bathrobe and went to answer it.

 

He was surprised to see that it was Will who stood in the hall, fist raised to knock again when the door swung open. Upon seeing him, the alpha lowered his arm and smirked. “Well, well, well.” He licked his lips, blatantly undressing Jared with his eyes. The omega frowned, tugging the robe closer.

 

“Do you need something, alpha?” He asked as respectfully as he could manage. His skin crawled with the weight of Will’s gaze and he wanted nothing more than to slam the door in the alpha’s face.

 

“Where are your manners, omega,” Will scolded. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

 

Jared stepped back reluctantly, letting the door swing wider. Will entered, glancing around briefly before moving to seat himself on the sofa. He patted the cushion next to him, indicating that Jared should sit. The omega perched tensely on the very edge of the chair. 

 

“Relax, omega,” Will laughed, lounging back and kicking his feet up on Jared’s coffee table. Jared forced his expression to remain neutral. He knew the alpha was just trying to mess with him. As long as he didn’t rise to the bait, Will would get bored and leave. Probably.

 

“May I ask why you’re here?” He remained polite and composed, hands folded in his lap.

 

“Fine.” Will pouted. “You’re such a tightass, omega. Anyway, I came to tell you that Jensen called…” He trailed off, wanting Jared to ask for the rest.

 

Jared took a deep breath, frustrated by the alpha’s asshole behaviour. A call from Jensen could mean any number of things. Had Jensen found his mate and was now sending everyone else home? Or was it just Jared he was sending home? Or maybe, just maybe, was he calling about seeing Jared again, wanting to let Jared know he was interested? “And?” He prompted nervously.

 

Will laughed. “I don’t know how you did it, but he wants to take you out again.”

 

“Really?” Jared asked, voice tinged with disbelief. This was amazing news, and at a good time, too. Just two days ago, Jared had received a phone call from his mother. The situation in San Antonio was getting worse. His father was losing ground and his brother had been injured in a skirmish between the warring parties. Now, more than ever, they needed the help of Dallas Pack. “When?”

 

“He’s taking you to breakfast tomorrow morning.” Will informed him. “He said he’ll pick you up at ten. Kenny’ll go with you.”

 

“Okay. Thanks for letting me know.” Jared said, restraining his smile. He stood and walked toward the door, a blatant dismissal. Will scowled but heaved himself upright.

 

“‘Night, omega.” With one last leer, he left, slamming the door behind himself. Jared sighed and turned the lock.

 

Once again blessedly alone, he changed into his pajamas and hung the robe back up on its hook. Fully clothed, he set about finishing his nightly routine, but he could no longer focus. His thoughts kept straying to Jensen and their second date. It was a good sign, he knew, that Jensen was showing interest, but he didn’t want to get his or his pack’s hopes up over something that still might not happen.

 

He remembered the warnings of his pack, but after their first meeting, he was beginning to like Jensen despite himself. The alpha had been so charming and sweet with him; the exact opposite of what everyone else had said about him. Jared wasn’t stupid. If everyone said he was an asshole, there was probably a reason they said it. But whatever side he’d shown them, Jared hadn’t seen one glimpse of it.

 

Mind still racing, Jared laid down in bed and shut his eyes, but sleep was a long time coming.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is a little short, but I thought it might be best to save the 'wooing' for its own chapter. Next chapter will be about J2s courtship. Jensen's asshole behaviour is starting to show its face here, but don't be discouraged -- this story will have a happy ending! 
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos and lovely comments, and thank you for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

~*~

**_JENSEN_ **

 

Jensen pulled up in front of the guesthouse right on time to find Jared waiting for him, his hulking alpha guard looming behind him. Jensen couldn't contain an eye roll upon spotting the alpha -- did they honestly think he had no self-control? Sure, he had a bit of a reputation, but he didn't just go around ravishing every omega he came in contact with. He was pretty sure he could handle a few hours alone with Jared without his babysitters hovering in the background. Tamping down on his mild annoyance, he left the car idling and went around to the curb.

 

“Alpha Jensen,” Jared greeted him with a shy smile, bowing his head politely. He really was a good omega, Jensen thought. Deference seemed second nature to the younger man. “It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

 

“The pleasure is all mine,” Jensen said smoothly. He reached over and opened the passenger side door, gesturing for Jared to get in. “Ready to go?”

 

Jared nodded and hurried forward, letting Jensen take his arm to guide him into the car. He folded himself into the front seat with surprising grace; from what Jensen had witnessed, the omega typically fell toward the clumsier end of the spectrum -- no pun intended. “Thank you,” he murmured as Jensen stepped away, shutting the door behind him.

 

The alpha was still waiting on the sidewalk when Jensen turned back around to face him. They sized each other up, shoulders tense, before the alpha broke eye contact. Jensen smirked, triumphant. “I don’t believe Jared will be needing your services today. Thank you.” His tone was obviously dismissive and the older alpha bristled at the disrespect.

 

“His father gave me strict orders, sir--”

 

“I’m sure he did,” Jensen interrupted. He kept his voice deceptively calm. “These are not San Antonio’s pack lands, however. They are Dallas’s, and while you are a guest here you will follow my orders. Enjoy your day off.” Jensen turned on his heel, ignoring the sputtering of the old man.

 

Jared gave him a questioning look as Jensen slid behind the wheel, but said nothing, keeping his hands folded primly in his lap. As they pulled away from the curb, he looked back at his bodyguard but voiced no protest. Jensen smiled at his obvious reluctance to stir the pot, a quality well admired in an omega.

 

“Relax,” he reassured Jared. “You’re safe with me. I promise to be on my best behavior.” He grinned and took a hand off the wheel to cross his heart. Jared smiled faintly at the gesture, unease still lingering.

 

“May I ask where you’re taking me, Alpha?” He questioned timidly.

 

“Feel free to ask me any questions you have, Jared. And you can just call me Jensen. Things shouldn’t be so formal between two future mates, don’t you think?” He winked teasingly, laughing at Jared’s little gasp of surprise. “We’re heading out to Dallas for some breakfast and a little sight-seeing if that’s alright with you. Ever been to Dallas?”

 

“No, I-I haven’t.” Jared shook his head. After a moment, he looked over at Jensen, chewing nervously on his bottom lip. “Can I-- I mean, did you mean what you said about future mates? Are you really…?”

 

“I meant what I said, Jared. If this courtship period goes well, I really think you’d be the perfect mate for me.” He flashed Jared his most charming smile, leaning over to put a hand on his knee. Jared startled at the touch, but smiled hesitantly back, a blush rising in his cheeks. He was so naive, Jensen thought, and clearly already gone for him. It wouldn’t take much to fool the poor boy into thinking he was getting the perfect mateship.

 

“And your parents? Your father--”

 

“Approves. They both approve. I know your pack doesn't  have much to give, but I can overlook that because we have a spark, Jared. There's just something about you…” He trailed off, feeling like he was laying it on too thick.

 

Jared blinked at him, obviously shocked, but quickly regathered his wits. He looked down at his lap, shyly moving his fingertips to rest on the back of Jensen's hand. “I understand. I feel the same way, like there's just something about you that draws me in. I'm honored that you would ever even consider me to be your mate, Alpha, and I hope I'll be able to live up to your expectations. I-If the courtship goes well, that is. I don't want to presume.”

 

“I'm glad. And don't worry about the courtship. Unless you turn out to be a total diva, I don't think you'll be able to turn me off.” Jensen chuckled, drawing a small laugh from the omega. The mood in the car was suddenly much more relaxed. Jared’s fingers traced slow circles on the back of his hand as trees rushed by outside the car window. To Jensen’s surprise, just that simple touch was enough to gently stir his arousal.

 

When they arrived at the restaurant, Jensen almost missed the feeling of Jared’s soft flesh after the omega withdrew his hand to get out of the car. Almost.

 

~*~

 

Breakfast was delicious. Jensen stuck with the basics -- eggs, toast, bacon, and a mug of black coffee. Jared proved more adventurous. It was practically torture to watch him biting into each new dish delicately, just a hint of pink tongue and white teeth.

 

Once they had both eaten their fill, Jensen drove them to the first stop on his list of romantic places to take Jared: the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. It had flowers, fountains, gazebos, all that cutesy shit… what more could an omega want?

 

And sure enough, Jared ate it up. He seemed to hang on the tour guide’s every word, asking questions about what type of flower that was and where this flower came from. When the tour guide answered, he nodded along and seemed to be genuinely absorbing the information. It was kind of cute, actually, how earnest the kid was about something so inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Jensen had only planned for them to visit for a couple hours, but they ended up staying almost the whole day, ditching the tour guide and wandering together through the gardens as the sun began to set overhead.

 

“Thank you,” Jared said, turning to look at him as they strolled. “I wasn’t expecting… this, and I really had a good time today.”

 

Jensen suppressed a smug grin and shrugged nonchalantly, reaching out to take Jared’s hand. “I’m glad you had fun,” he told him, squeezing the younger man’s long fingers between his. Jared looked down shyly at their joined hands before offering a blinding dimpled smile. “Do you think you’re up for dinner before I take you home?”

 

“Of course.” Jared acquiesced. “Did you have somewhere in mind?”

 

“Yeah.” Jensen nodded and began to follow the signs pointing them back to the parking lot, pulling Jared alongside him. “I hope you like steak.”

 

“Well, to be honest, I like just about anything as long as it’s edible,” Jared grinned impishly and Jensen couldn’t help but chuckle at the unexpected flash of humor from the usually shy and serious omega. “But I’d never turn down a good steak.”

 

“Of course not. You’re a red-blooded Texan, after all,” Jensen joked, disproportionately pleased by the little laugh and head shake it earned him. It made his chest warm like his stupid heart was trying to feel things for Jared. He viciously suppressed that thought. No feelings. They would only ruin his carefully constructed plans.

 

“Jensen?” Jared asked, looking confused at Jensen’s momentary disconnect from the conversation. Most omegas had the seemingly magical ability to sense the changes in the moods of those around them, and apparently, Jared was no exception. The alpha frowned, turning away from the genuine concern in Jared’s shimmering hazel eyes as he asked, “Are you alright?”

 

“I'm fine,” Jensen gritted out. The calm of a day well-spent was quickly bleeding away, replaced with dark irritation -- at himself, and at Jared for being so damn likable.  “Just not feeling so great all of a sudden.”

 

“Probably too much sun,” Jared suggested. “We _have_ been out in the heat all day.”

 

“Yeah, maybe. Look, I think we'll have to take a rain check on the dinner if you don’t mind.”

 

“Oh, no, of course. I-I mean…” The omega hastened to reassure him. “I mean, it’s perfectly understandable.”

 

Jensen unlocked the car and opened the passenger side door, waiting for the younger man to slide into the seat before going around to his side. Jared watched him closely as he started the engine and backed out of the lot. As they pulled into traffic, he began fiddling with the straps of his seatbelt, biting at his lower lip like he was holding back from saying something. At first, Jensen tried to ignore him. He was already on a short fuse, and yelling at the kid wouldn’t do anything to help his cause.

 

Finally, though, he couldn’t keep it in any longer. Glancing over, he snapped, “If you want to say something then say it, omega. I gave you permission to speak freely with me.”

 

The minute the words left his mouth he wanted to take them back.  Jared seemed to shrink in his seat, letting go of the lap belt to fold his fingers primly together. “I’m sorry, Jensen, it’s nothing. I’m just being stupid.”

 

Jensen sighed. “I said that more harshly than I meant to. I’m sorry. Please, tell me what you wanted to say?”

 

“Oh, no, it’s okay. I was just wondering, well, you know, if I did anything wrong. It seemed like you suddenly changed your mind about going out to dinner, like maybe I upset you or something. But I’m just being stupid. If you say you don’t feel good, of course I believe you.” Jared shook his head, offering a weak laugh. “I’m sorry.”

 

“You don’t have to keep apologizing,” Jensen reassured him, startled by the omega’s perception. He would have to be more careful around this one. “We all have our moments of insecurity. Now, I have a favor to ask you.”

 

“Okay…” Jared responded hesitantly, cocking his head to one side and narrowing his hazel eyes. Jensen laughed.

 

“It’s nothing too crazy, you don’t have to look so suspicious. My mother wants you to come over Sunday for a family dinner. My sister will be home from college, so Mom thinks it would be a good time for you to meet the family. I promise they won’t be too weird or anything.”

 

“O-oh.” Jared paused, clearly taken aback. “I would love to have dinner with your family. Thank you.” The younger man looked genuinely shocked by the offer. It was a big step to meet the family of your future mate, especially if the family happened to be the First Alpha and Beta of a pack, and they’d only been on two formal dates. But Jensen was eager to go ahead with his plan, and Jared, well, Jared was probably feeling the pressure from his Pack.

 

“Good. I'll tell Mom to expect you; she's over the moon about the idea of me finally choosing a mate.” He couldn't suppress a fond smile as he remembered how excited she was when he'd told her. She was such a hopeless romantic. “I'll arrange everything with your acting alphas and let them know what time I'll come pick you up after I talk to my mom. I bet she already has the whole evening planned out.”

 

Out of the corner of his eye, Jensen noticed how Jared was chewing nervously on his bottom lip, fingers fidgeting again with the seat belt straps. He sighed and placed one hand over Jared’s, stilling them immediately. “Don't get so worked up about this, Jared. My dad already thinks you're perfect, and my mom is so eager to see me mated she wouldn't care if you were the worst-behaved omega in the world, which you're definitely not. You already have their blessing.”

 

“Okay,” Jared relented, blowing out a deep breath. He lifted his hand from under Jensen's and ran it through his thick, unruly locks, briefly distracting Jensen from the matter at hand. “I just want them to like me. And… and I don't want you to change your mind about me if they don't,” the omega admitted shyly.

 

Jensen rolled his eyes to himself. As if he could be so easily swayed into letting go of what he was pretty sure was the most perfect omega in the world.  His perfectly laid plans could hardly be thwarted by something so trivial as parental disapproval.

 

“Nothing could change my mind about you, sweetheart,” he assured Jared with a smirk. “I promise.”

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long wait between updates. I've been very stressed lately and haven't wanted to write much, but things are looking up so I hope I'll be getting back on track.
> 
> I've been thinking that maybe I should be making these chapters a little longer because according to my outline we should be up to their mateship by now (chapter four) and I still haven't covered all the events leading up to it yet. What do you guys think?
> 
> Chapter five will be another date and some drama. :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm alive! Sorry about the atrocious wait; I had this chapter written for two months but I just can't seem to get the ending the way I want. Very frustrating, but I figured I might as well post it rather than continuing to fiddle with it. Hopefully it's okay, even if it's not exactly what I wanted...

~*~

**JARED**

So far, Jared’s relationship with alpha Jensen Ackles had been the very definition of a whirlwind courtship. It had gone nothing at all like how he’d hoped when was younger. There was no romance, no swell of overwhelming love for each other. No sweet gestures or candlelit dinners at expensive restaurants where they gazed at each other across the table, getting lost in the other’s eyes. Yeah, maybe it was cheesy and unrealistic, sue him, but Jared had always believed that his alpha would have to work for his love, earn it with patience and lots of well-planned dates.

Well, that wasn't the case and he was a little disappointed.

Jensen was very charming, of course. He seemed to be gifted with a silver tongue, always ready with a sharp quip or a compliment that would leave Jared flustered and blushing. He took Jared to nice places and _very_ fancy restaurants. After their second date he woke up to find an extravagant bouquet of pink and red roses and a sampler of expensive chocolates, addressed to ‘ _the loveliest omega of all_ ’. But he could tell that Jensen's heart wasn't quite into it.

The alpha was just going through the motions, albeit quite convincingly.

Since their day at the arboretum, two weeks ago, he had seen Jensen several more times. Every place they went was suitably romantic, but that was just it. There was no deeper thought behind it, no personalization, for lack of a better term. The gifts he sent were generic, no personal touch. He watched Jared with adoration and lust in his gaze, but sometimes those beautiful green eyes strayed for just a few seconds.

Still, he couldn't and hadn't complained. Jensen was one of the most eligible bachelors in America, and Jared was lucky to have caught his eye. If their courtship was a little lacking, Jensen a little disinterested, well, who was he to complain? At least that's what his mother had told him when he dared voice his worries, and she was right. If this was the price he had to pay to keep his pack and his family safe, he would pay it.

He just wished that things could've gone differently.

 

After their second date, Jensen had brought him to his parents’ house for Sunday dinner. Jared had made himself sick with worry all day, wondering what he should wear, what he should say, what Jensen would expect, and how his family would react. By the time Jensen arrived to pick him up, he was tempted to back out. But he hadn't allowed himself to and luckily it hadn't been as bad as he'd expected.

The Alpha and Beta had dozens of questions, but they were direct about what they were asking and listened respectfully to his responses. Jensen's little sister, a beta named Mackenzie, had watched him carefully throughout dinner, but she seemed to warm up to him over dessert, regaling him with tales of Jensen’s lively escapades as a pup. By the end of the night he'd felt pretty confident that he left a good impression, and First Beta Ackles --Donna, as she'd insisted he call her-- had made Jensen promise to bring him back soon.

Over the course of the following weeks, Jensen had driven him to Dallas quite often for dinner after a movie or some sightseeing. Other times they stayed on pack lands and met up with Jensen's various friends or hung out around the town. Last weekend, they'd gone to an amusement park where Jensen won him a stuffed dog at the strong man game and they rode rides until Jared’s stomach began to hurt. It’d been a pretty good date until Jensen ran into an ex in line for the roller coaster and promptly forgot Jared existed.

To make up for it, Jensen had promised to take him out tonight, but refused to tell him where. His only instructions were to dress ‘casual but cute’. Jared had agreed reluctantly. And so he stood waiting outside the guesthouse, dressed in the nice jeans his mother had insisted he pack and a light blue button down shirt. He'd attempted to tame his hair with a bit of gel, but the unruly curls did as they pleased, so he was forced to give up on making his hair look nice and just hope it didn't look too bad.

Kenny was waiting beside him, silent and stoic as always. He wouldn't be coming with --Jensen had nipped that in the bud-- but he still insisted on staying with Jared until he was safely in Jensen's hands. Jared didn't mind too much. At least it wasn't Will who insisted on accompanying him everywhere. The younger alpha had been getting more aggressive lately, letting his touches linger a little too long, wander a little too far, until Jared got uncomfortable enough to step away. He wasn't sure what had gotten into the alpha --jealousy, possessiveness at seeing him with another alpha, maybe-- but he’d been doing his best to avoid Will lately.

Shaking away his worried thoughts, he glanced up in time to see Jensen pulling into the driveway. He was driving a different car than usual; this one was a sleek black classic car, and although Jared wasn't exactly what you'd call a ‘car person’, he could clearly appreciate its beauty. Stepping forward, he met Jensen halfway as the alpha came around to open the passenger door with a smirk.

Every time Jared protested that he was perfectly capable of opening a car door himself he was summarily ignored. By now he knew better than to protest and simply slid into the passenger's seat with a quick wave of goodbye to Kenny. The older alpha nodded his acknowledgment and headed back into the guesthouse.

Jensen came back around and settled himself into the driver's seat, grinning rather smugly. “So, what do you think of the new ride?”

 The alpha’s pride in his car was so obvious Jared couldn't resist yanking his chain a little. He turned his face to the window and shrugged. “Hm. It's alright, I guess.”

“ _Alright_?” Jensen repeated incredulously. “You clearly have no appreciation for beauty.” He huffed as they pulled out onto the street. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Jensen shaking his head in disapproval.

Jared couldn't help it, he laughed at Jensen's indignation and patted him consolingly on the arm. “It's okay, I was just messing with you, Jensen. No need to get all worked up.”

“I wasn't getting worked up,” Jensen replied defensively, glaring over at him before returning his gaze to the road ahead of them. “Just defending my car's honor against your slanderous words.”

“Oh, okay,” Jared snorted, rolling his eyes. If there was one thing he’d learned since meeting Jensen it was that the alpha had a flair for the dramatic. “Well, I apologize for offending you and your car.”

“Yeah well, you better. This, you uncultured swine, is a 1967 Chevy Impala,” Jensen announced proudly, like that meant something to Jared. “One of the best classic muscle cars out there, and in mint condition, thank you very much.”

Jared laughed at Jensen’s excessive enthusiasm, but in a way it was kind of nice to see the alpha so passionate about something for once. It felt like he was finally getting a glimpse at the real Jensen, instead of the aloof bad-boy facade he presented the world with. “If you love this car so much how come I've never seen you drive it before?”

“Because, as much as I love my baby, the Impala is too conspicuous for when I'm trying to evade the paparazzi or whoever.” Jensen replied. “It's a shame, really.”

“Huh. So you want the paparazzi to follow us tonight?” Jared prodded nervously. Jensen still hadn't told him where they were going yet, but he was hoping it wasn't anywhere _too_ public. The thought of all those eyes on him, the blinding lights of cameras flashing, their photo ending up on the pages of some tabloid somewhere with some sleazy headline, it made Jared shudder.

Jensen must've picked up on his worry, because he quirked a smile and reached over to stroke Jared’s thigh soothingly. “Nah, I'm not concerned about them tonight. They hardly ever come too far onto pack land.”

“So we're not going into Dallas?” Jared prompted, hoping for another clue.

“Nope,” Jensen said, but refused to elaborate any further.

Jared glowered at him for a second --the alpha was looking way too pleased with himself-- before crossing his arms and turning to look out the window. Jensen chuckled at his childish behavior.

“Now who's getting themselves all worked up?” He taunted, squeezing Jared’s thigh. “Don't pout, Jay, we'll be there soon.”

“I'm not pouting,” Jared assured the alpha. “I don't pout.”

 

~*~

 

It turned out Jensen was taking him to a bar. The Roadhouse, to be exact, where the two of them had first met. Tonight the place was packed, weres crammed into every chair and booth available. Jensen held him close, arm wrapped around his waist, as they pushed through the crowd to Jensen's reserved booth by the stage. “Chris is playing tonight,” he leaned in to inform Jared. “His band is pretty popular around here.”

“I can tell. This is quite the crowd,” Jared replied, scanning the room.

One of Jensen's friends was already waiting at the table for them, a red-headed beta named Danneel. She'd been kind to him the first time they met and tonight was no exception. She greeted them both with a wide smile and a hug for Jensen, which the alpha readily returned.

“So, Jared, how has this numbskull been treating you?” She asked as they took their seats, raising her voice slightly to be heard over the background noise of the crowd. “Do I need to slap him around a little?”

Jared blushed, shooting a nervous glance at Jensen, who had squeezed into the booth beside him, but the alpha just looked amused. “He's been a perfect gentleman,” he told Danneel truthfully.

“Good. He'd better stay that way, or I'd be happy to whip him back into shape for you.” Her fierce eyes narrowed, focusing solely on Jensen, who stared evenly back. They seemed to be having some sort of silent conversation. Finally, Danneel broke the gaze and looked back at Jared with a small smile. “I mean it. You have any problems, you can come to me.”

“Oh, come on, Dani, I treat Jared right. Don't I, sweetheart?” Under the table, his fingers tightened on Jared’s thigh until he nodded dutifully. Jensen smirked. “See? No complaints.”

Danneel raised her hands in surrender before changing the topic to pack gossip. Jared listened intently as she and Jensen discussed various pack members and what they were or weren't doing. Most of it flew over his head because he only knew a handful of Dallas Pack weres, but he paid attention anyway, wanting to acclimate himself with the ins and outs of the pack. It was to be his new home, after all.

Eventually, Jensen got bored of the gossip and went off to grab them a round of drinks at the bar. Jared watched him go, frowning at the way the woman behind the bar seemed to be flirting with the alpha. Her loud laugh carried over the din as she ran her hand up and down Jensen’s arm. The alpha didn't seem to object, if the way he tucked the slip of paper she gave him into his pocket was any indication. He laughed along with her, wandering hands reaching up to tuck a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. Danneel followed his gaze and cursed under her breath. “That fucking idiot. I'm sorry he makes you watch this.”

“It's okay,” Jared assured her, bowing his head in embarrassment. Jensen hitting on other people during their dates was one thing. Doing it in front of someone was a whole nother thing. “He’s probably just being polite.”

“You're too good to him, Jared,” she sighed and shook her head. “You have to put your foot down with Jensen or he'll walk all over you.”

“It's okay,” Jared repeated dumbly, not knowing what else to say. His throat felt tight, like it was collapsing in on itself. “I just. It's okay. He’s always like this, but he doesn't… he never...:”

The pity in Dani’s eyes was damning. “You really believe him?”

“I have to. What other choice do I have? I need him and he knows it.” Jared replied bitterly, tearing his eyes away from the scene. “Other than this, he treats me so well. I can let this one thing slide. I have to.”

Dani opened her mouth, looking like she wanted to protest but whatever she was going to say was interrupted by Jensen sliding back into the booth. She sighed and leaned back, seemingly willing to let it go for now. Jensen looked between them with a frown, like he could feel the tension. He slung his arm around Jared’s waist and pulled him in closer for a kiss. It took everything within Jared not to turn his face away.

“What's up? You guys seem a little tense.” Jensen asked as he slid Danneel’s cocktail across the table. She raised an eyebrow as she took a dainty sip.

“Do we, now? I can't imagine why.” She fixed him with a frigid glare.

“Oh come on, Dan. Don't be a bitch.” Jensen rolled his eyes. “I came here to have a good time and listen to my best friend’s band. If you wanna play mind games find another victim.” With that he took a gulp of beer and settled back comfortably in the booth.

Danneel looked over at Jared, wordlessly asking him what he wanted. He shook his head, telling her to just let it go. It wasn't worth fighting over, and he definitely didn't want to get her caught up between his personal feelings and her friendship with Jensen. Better to just let it go.

“Fine. Sorry.” She huffed, obviously displeased with Jared’s inaction, but respectful of his decision.

Jared flashed her a grateful smile. For the first time since arriving here he felt as though he had someone on his side.


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, guys!

_ ~*~ _

**_Jensen_ **

  
  


Jensen watched from the sofa as the blonde he’d hooked up with last night tottered out of the bedroom in her stilettos, tugging down the hem of her mini skirt while trying to juggle her purse and jacket. When she noticed him watching she huffed, stalking past with the little dignity as she could muster. “I hope you go to hell, asshole!” She yelled over her shoulder as she let herself out, slamming the door.

Jensen sighed. Yeah, maybe he'd been a little harsh kicking her out, but he didn't want to send any sort of signal that this could ever become a  _ thing _ . He'd made that mistake one too many times. Never again. He was a love ‘em and leave ‘em guy and that's the way he liked it. And besides, with the mateship coming up it was best to be as careful as possible. It was pretty much a sure thing at this point, but he never knew and it was just best to play it safe and discrete.

The thought of his mateship made him wince. He headed into the hotel suite kitchenette and busied himself with making a cup of coffee, dutifully  _ not  _ thinking about Jared. It wasn't like the omega would ever know anyway and what he didn't know couldn't hurt him. 

As he nursed his first cup of coffee Jensen plugged his phone into the charger and turned it on to check his messages. One missed phone call from Danneel, a few work emails, but most importantly a voicemail from his father. He clicked play and brought the phone up to his ear, half-expecting some sort of lecture even though there was no way his father could've known about last night. Not yet, at least.

“ _ Padalecki has agreed to our final terms and he wants the ceremony as soon as possible. I'll send out the announcements later this morning to the bigger packs and we’ll go over who else should be present this evening. Bring Jared, your mother wants to start the planning with him right away. Congratulations, Jensen. Your mother and I are proud of you. _ ”

“God…” Jensen muttered, tossing the phone down on the countertop. He had thought he'd be relieved to finally get everything squared away with Alpha Padalecki, but his stomach was clenching in a decidedly unpleasant manner and his coffee no longer tasted quite as heavenly. This was all becoming alarmingly real. In a month’s time, maybe less, he would be a mated man with an omega to look after. He didn't even want to speculate how much time he'd have before his mother started harassing him about having pups and moving into a ‘real house’, as she put it, with a white picket fence and all. A year, two tops. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad; Jared was an omega, after all, so he'd be dealing with most of the parental stuff and Jensen could provide the monetary support.

They'd cross that bridge when they came to it, he tried to reassure himself. For now, he should just focus on the positives that came with all this. Like the free, easy sex, and the fact that his father would stop watching his every move. Mostly the sex, though. God was he looking forward to that. Jared was hot as hell, and what made it even better was the fact that the omega was a virgin. Jensen would be his first and his last, the only alpha to ever own Jared in that way, which definitely appealed to his alpha nature. Major perk.

The very thought had a smirk tugging at his lips. He reached down under the tabletop to palm his slowly hardening dick, thinking of how good it would feel to finally be in that tight heat, have his fingers around the omega’s tiny waist, leave bruises --his own marks-- on that tan expanse of skin. He shuddered with pleasure but forced himself to tamp down on it. There was already so much to do today; maybe he'd have a little time tonight to relax in whirlpool tub and really take it slow, make it good. A man could dream.

The rest of the day passed fairly quickly. He drove himself home after breakfast and set up in his study to catch up on work. Even though his father owned a good portion of the company and was childhood friends with Jensen’s boss, Jeff, Jensen was still expected to pull his weight at work and lately he'd been neglecting things a little with all the time he'd put into wooing Jared. So far Jeff hadn't said anything about it, but Jensen didn't want to overextend his goodwill. 

By the time he finished with the last of it, it was already five in the evening. Jensen stood from his office chair and stretched, wincing at the way his back cracked. He reached for his phone and called the guesthouse to notify Jared's alphas that he was on his way. For some idiotic reason the older alpha guard had absolutely refused to give him the number to Jared’s phone, so instead, Jensen had to relay everything through the alphas. Something about propriety or whatever. 

He stopped in his bedroom to change into the usual jeans and Henley that he wore for casual dinners at his parents’ before heading down to the garage. As he pulled out onto the street, his mind immediately wandered back to the mating. At least while he was working his mind had been occupied. But driving was like second nature to him and that allowed his mind ample time to daydream. Hoping to distract himself, he reached over to flip on the radio. 

It worked, right up until he found himself pulling into the driveway of the guesthouse. Jared was standing outside next to his younger alpha guard, dressed in neat khakis and a light blue polo shirt. He smiled as Jensen got out of the car, immediately rushing forward with barely a backward glance for his scowling guard.

Jensen forced a lighthearted chuckle as he opened the passenger side door. “Someone's happy to see me, huh?”

Jared blushed and shrugged. “Just glad to get out. Will and Kenny have been keeping me cooped up in there since last weekend.”

“Ah.” Jensen slid back into his seat. As he pulled out of the driveway, he glanced back over his shoulder and noticed Jared's alpha still standing there, glaring straight at him. If looks could kill, Jensen would've been a dead man. Tearing his gaze away, he turned his focus back on the road in front of him. “What's the deal with your alpha?”

“Will?” Jared sighed, clenching his fingers in his lap. “We grew up together, I guess you could say. He's just… protective of me.”

“He looked like he wanted to murder me in cold blood.” 

“Yeah, well…” Jared laughed, but it sounded stilted and wrong. “That's Will for ya.”

Alarm bells were ringing in the depths of Jensen’s brain, but he ignored them, not in the mood to get into a drawn out conversation just then. Jared would tell him if it was really important; the omega didn't have a deceptive bone in his body. Will was just going to have to get used to the fact that Jared was Jensen's omega now, and there wasn't much he could do about it.

 

Jensen’s parents met them at the door, his mom fussing and carrying on over him and Jared. Jensen and his father exchanged an eye roll at her exuberant behavior before heading into the living room where they all settled in on the sofas. 

“I have the perfect bouquet in mind for your wedding ceremony,” his mother was still gushing to Jared. “It'll go perfectly with your colors.”

“Oh, um, thanks,” Jared mumbled, clearly out of his depth with the formidable Beta Ackles. Jensen had to stifle a smile at how adorably confused Jared looked. 

“Mom,” he stepped in. “Jared just barely found out today, give him a little time to process and think about what he wants.”

“Oh, alright,” she pouted, sighing dramatically as if he had just placed some huge burden on her. Then she turned to Jared with a smile and patted his hand. “Sorry, hon, I tend to get overexcited about these things.”

“It's okay,” Jared shyly reassured her. “I have no idea what I'm doing, so I'm glad that you have ideas.”

“Oh, she has plenty of ideas. She's been planning my mateship since I was just a pup.” Jensen laughed. 

“She was planning long before that.” Alan corrected teasingly. 

Donna huffed good-naturedly. “I just like to be prepared! But Jared and I will have plenty of time to go over the small details later. For now, we want to work out the big picture, political nonsense.” 

Out of the corner of his eye, Jensen noticed Jared begin to worry his lip with his teeth. This politics stuff was probably all new to Jared, being that he was from such a small pack. San Antonio Pack didn't have to worry about how their every move would be perceived by the rest of were society. Jared was gonna have to learn quickly, and hopefully with minimal whining and protesting. Sure, this life wasn't for everyone, but Jared knew what he was getting himself into.

“I've already notified the bigger packs -- New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles,” Alan said. “They're not happy we didn't pick one of theirs, but they didn't offer any serious protests. Just grumbling, as always.”

“Of course. And locally?”

“We'll have San Antonio, of course, and a few of their allies. We can expect the mayor, maybe the governor for the wedding ceremony--"

“Excuse me,” Jared gasped, eyebrows flying up to meet his hairline. “The  _ governor _ ?”

“ _ Maybe _ the governor.” Jensen reaffirmed. “Us larger packs usually work pretty closely with the state government to keep everyone happy. It's a sign of goodwill to invite him.”

“Okay,” Jared nodded, still looking a little freaked out. “So how many people total are we expecting?”

“Well, the actual mating ceremony is were-only, so it'll be family members, friends, and a few curious Dallas Pack members.” Donna chimed in. “I'd say… oh, about a hundred. Then the wedding ceremony will be much bigger because we'll have all our human allies and such, about five hundred or so.”

“Wow,” Jared mumbled. “A-and that's normal for a pack this size? It seems a little…well-"

Jensen huffed an exasperated sigh. “Yes, Jared, that's normal.” He started to say more but cut himself off after a sharp look from his mother. Too late, he remembered that as far as his parents knew, he and Jared were the perfect picture of pre-matrimonial harmony. 

“Okay,” Jared acquiesced meekly, clearly able to tell that Jensen was on edge. He remained silent as Jensen and his father hashed out the remaining details, much to Jensen’s relief. He was quiet as they followed Jensen’s parents into the dining room too, and all throughout dinner, although he answered politely when directly spoken to.

God, Jensen hoped the omega wasn't sulking. He wasn't in the mood to patiently coax his way back into Jared’s good graces. 

Luckily, after dinner, Donna announced that she needed to speak to Jared in private. The boy looked vaguely terrified as he was dragged away by the overenthusiastic beta and Jensen couldn't blame him. Whatever the hell his mother was up to, he was glad to stay out of it. Instead, he chatted idly with his father and finished his dessert in peace.

Donna returned a half hour later with Jared in tow. The omega was actually smiling after whatever ridiculous torture he'd just endured from the older beta. Jensen was secretly relieved that whatever funk Jared had been in over dinner seemed to have passed, and no apologies necessary from Jensen himself. 

“Do I dare ask what sort of secrets you two were exchanging?” Jensen joked, rising from his seat. Donna giggled, but made a zipping motion over her lips and shook her head.

“Nope. And don't even think about harassing poor Jared into telling you,” she warned, setting her hands on her hips threateningly.

Jensen laughed and leaned down to give his mother a quick kiss on the cheek. “I'll see you guys later. Dad, keep me updated on who's RSVP’d.”

“Will do, son. Thanks for coming, Jared.”

“Thank you for having me, sir,” Jared responded, polite as ever. Jensen motioned for him to follow and Jared scrambled to obey, trailing after the alpha all the way out to the car.

“Hey, um, Jensen?” Jared tentatively spoke as Jensen started the car. “Are you okay?”

Jensen blew out a deep breath and turned to face Jared with a falsely bright smile. “Yeah, of course. Just a little stressed about the ceremonies is all.”

Please let Jared believe him, he prayed. Or at least sense that Jensen was on edge and drop the subject.

The omega was silent for a few moments before nodding. “Me too. I just… wanna make sure everything’s good between us. That you're not… m-mad or anything. I mean, you just seemed kind of tense.” Jared stumbled through his explanation, blushing profusely and twisting his hands in his lap. “S-sorry.”

Jensen sighed. Great, now the boy was making him feel guilty. “We're good, Jay. I promise.”

Jared looked up at the nickname. A slow smile broke out across his face and he nodded. “Okay.”

Good, crisis averted. 

They sat in silence as Jensen drove back to the guesthouse. Jensen was stewing in his own muddle of anger, guilt, and anxiety. The impending reality of everything was bringing all the suppressed emotions back to the surface. His fingers clenched on the steering wheel as he remembered how angry he'd been at first. Just one stupid mistake, and suddenly he was condemned to a fucking ball and chain for life. 

Jared made a small sound in the passenger’s seat, snapping Jensen out of his growing rage. He looked up and followed Jared’s gaze to the young alpha pacing outside the guesthouse. Will, if he wasn't mistaken. As they pulled in, the younger alpha’s eyes snapped to Jensen's, narrowing into a heated glare. Jensen growled under his breath at the provocation. “What the fuck is that pup’s problem?!” 

“Jensen-" Jared started warningly, pushing open his door. Before he could say more, the alpha was yanking him roughly from the car and dragging him toward the front door.

“Where the fuck were you, omega?” Will was growling. “It's past your curfew!”

“Hey!” Jensen shouted, getting out of the car. Will stopped and sneered over his shoulder.

“What?”

“Don't touch my omega like that! Who the hell do you think you are?” Jensen snarled, advancing on the younger alpha. He was already on edge, so close to snapping. He was itching for a fight. 

“Sorry, loverboy, but Jared’s not  _ your _ bitch yet. Until the mating, he's officially under  _ my _ control as his acting alpha.” Will spat, flashing Jensen a smug smile. 

“Jensen,” Jared tried again. “Don’t… it's okay.”

“See? Jared knows his place. Now run along.” Will said dismissively. And with that, he turned and manhandled Jared into the building.

Jensen just watched, trembling with pent-up rage. That smug fucking bastard was gonna pay for what he'd just said if it was the last thing Jensen ever did. Didn't the pup know that the fate of his entire pack rested on Jensen? One word from him could crush San Antonio Pack. 

One word.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, it’s really been forever. I don’t have a good excuse, just that time flew by and I swear it was just March two days ago. Anyway, for those of you that noticed, I added the tag ‘slow to update’ because I wanted y’all to know that I haven’t given up on this story. Now, here’s the chapter that goes into pt one of the wedding day. It was getting pretty long and I had to end it somewhere, so actually, I cut it here and there’s about 3k more that’s going into the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy!

 

~*~

**_JARED_ **

 

“What the hell were you thinking, pup?!” Kenny was yelling as he paced back and forth in the living room of Jared’s suite. 

 

“Don't you dare yell at  _ me _ , old man! He's a fucking prick and I took him down a few pegs, what's so wrong about that?” Will shouted back. His face was red with anger, arms crossed tight over his chest as he faced the older alpha down.

 

Jared sat silently on the couch, seemingly forgotten by both parties. He was reluctant to move, lest he draws their attention and ire on himself, but he longed for the soft comfort of his bed. His eyes kept sliding closed, mind wandering as the two alphas went at each other. 

 

“What's  _ wrong  _ with that! What's wrong is that we need Ackles, despite whatever hairbrained problem you have with him! One wrong move here could mean the end of our pack, and I won't have you jeopardizing our safety just because you're a young hothead who can't keep it in his pants!”

 

“Oh, go fuck yourself, gramps! All this talk about how we need him is bullshit. San Antonio is strong enough to stand on its own, we don't need these uppity Ackles coming in and fucking everything up!”

 

“If you believe that, you're delusional, boy.”

 

Will snorted. “You're the delusional one. You and Alpha, if you honestly think this is worth giving up our  _ one  _ bargaining chip. We've faced challenges before, and we always come out on top. What makes this time any different, huh?”

 

Kenny was shaking with fury, clearly ready to explode at Will’s ignorance of the situation at hand. Instead, he took a deep breath and shook his head. “No matter what  _ you  _ think, I am your elder, boy, and you'll show me respect. I need to go make a few phone calls, and you oughta sit down and think about what you've just done.” And with that, the older alpha turned on his heel and marched out of the room, slamming the door behind himself. 

 

Will rolled his eyes. “Stupid fucking idiot.” Then he whirled on Jared, catching the omega still sitting on the couch watching dazedly. “What are you looking at, omega? You probably think this is funny, don't you? I've seen the way you look at me; you  _ want _ me to get in trouble with your father. You wanna see me punished.”

 

Well, yes, Jared did, but he wasn't stupid enough to admit it. “I have no idea what you're talking about, Will. I'm going to go get ready for bed.” He stood and headed to the bathroom, but stopped in his tracks when Will grabbed his wrist.

 

“You're trying to set me off, omega, trying to get me in trouble by flaunting yourself all around like a whore. But unfortunately for you, I'm dear ol’ dad’s favorite and I'll get away scott free every time. So you'd better keep yourself in line, bitch because, at the end of the day, you  _ will  _ be mine. Got it?” 

 

Will’s fingers tightened painfully and Jared couldn't stop the little whimper that escaped. The alpha chuckled and let go, but not before pressing a sloppy bruising kiss to Jared’s closed lips. The omega turned his face away and Will stepped back with a laugh, letting go of Jared’s wrist. “Sleep tight, omega.”

 

And with that, Will left as well.

 

Jared stood frozen for a moment, a hot, dark feeling rising in his chest. He almost couldn't breathe and he felt so dirty his skin crawled. God, he hated that man; the alpha seemed to have a knack for catching him off guard. 

 

“Stupid, stupid. Ignore him.”

 

Shaking himself, he quickly crossed the room to lock and bolt the door. Clearly, the alpha was not above violence and threats to get what he wanted, so it was better safe than sorry. Then he went into the bathroom, stripped, and stepped into the shower as he turned the spray on hot. Despite the steaming water, his body began to shake and he couldn't stop a sob from escaping as he wrapped his arms around himself.

 

The reality of everything seemed to hit him at once, the past few weeks coming down like a ton of bricks. Here he was, trapped between two equally awful situations with seemingly no escape. The first choice was to mate with Jensen, a man who clearly did not want him, despite the front he put up; Jared wasn't stupid, he knew the alpha resented being made to mate him and he certainly didn't expect some miraculous cozy, domestic relationship. But on the other hand, if he refused, it was back under the domineering thumb of his father and the looming threat of Will or some other alpha. Will wasn't exactly wrong when he'd called Jared San Antonio’s one bargaining chip. As the Pack Alpha’s only omega offspring, he was too valuable to be left to his own devices. If it wasn't Jensen, it would be someone else. At least with Jensen, he knew what he was getting into. And the alpha wasn’t awful —Jared knew that he’d seen much worse— in fact, he was pretty progressive and gentle. But still. He wasn’t what Jared wanted.

 

“Oh, God,” he whispered.

 

The helplessness and despair hit him all at once, leaving him kneeling on the shower floor as he sobbed. This was all so unfair. He didn't  _ want  _ Jensen, and he didn't want anyone else either. He didn't want the Pack's future resting on his shoulders. It was too much.

 

He sat until the water went cold and then stepped out, turning off the spray and heading into the bedroom. Sitting down on the neatly made bed, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 

 

It was time to man up and soldier on, just as he'd been doing. No more crying and carrying on like a pup. Besides, he was lucky to have been chosen by Jensen. At least he wouldn't be too far from home, and he'd be well taken care of. Jensen was cold, yes, but he wasn't cruel, not as far as Jared could see. That was a lot better than many omegas got, and he was grateful for that.

 

“It's all gonna be fine.” He reminded himself as he dried off and pulled on his pajamas. “I'm gonna be fine.

 

~*~

 

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of planning, from tuxedo fittings to menu planning and seating arrangements. He and Beta Ackles met practically every day to discuss some aspect or another of the ceremonies. It turned out to be much more work than he'd thought, what with all the politics to be taken into account, not wanting to hurt anyone important’s feelings -- or, more likely, their ego. Jared appreciated the work, though. It was a good distraction from both the internal and external battles raging around him.

 

Will had gotten a stern talking to from Jared’s father, which had, of course, left him in a dark mood. He took any chance he could get to snap at both Jared and Kenny and seemed intent on making their lives a living hell as payback. Meanwhile, news from back home had been getting steadily worse and worse. His father had hoped that the official news of Jared’s impending mating with Jensen Ackles would be enough to make the encroaching packs back down, but the number of skirmishes and altercations had actually increased instead. This, in turn, put extra pressure on Jared to seal the deal in case San Antonio needed to fall back on Ackles clout, which was looking more and more likely.

 

It was no surprise, then, that Jared woke up on the big day feeling relieved. After today, it would all be out of his hands and he could finally breathe. 

 

Beta Ackles arrived at his suite bright and early at eight o clock, bringing Jensen's sister and two pack omegas along with her. They immediately began fussing over him. Mackenzie made him breakfast in the little attached kitchenette while the attendants set to work bathing, exfoliating, and moisturizing him. 

 

The smallest, a tiny little brunette who introduced herself as Gen, extolled the virtues of exfoliation as she worked shampoo into his scalp with expert fingers. “It's absolutely  _ imperative  _ to maintaining that baby soft skin our alphas love so much,” she expounded. “Honestly, it's like you were raised in some sort of barn!”

 

Jared laughed softly, appreciating her blatant attempts to put him at ease. The other omega, Anna, was busy filing his nails and spreading gunk on his face, which he was assured would erase any wrinkles and smooth his pores. Usually, Jared would object to such pampering, but the earnest kindness of the other omegas as they prettied him up was soothing. The urgency of the past few days seemed to melt away as he relaxed in the warm bubble bath and listened to his two attendants chatting cheerfully with each other. 

 

After a good long soak, Gen helped him out of the bathtub and handed him a fluffy white towel. As Anna dried him off, she directed him to the dining room table, where the two Ackles women were waiting with breakfast. Beta Ackles pushed a plate of toast, eggs, and hashbrowns toward him and gestured for him to sit down. Jared blushed, but sat, clutching his towel tightly around his waist.

 

“Don't worry, Jared, it's nothing we haven't seen before,” Donna laughed as she poured him a glass of orange juice. “Are you excited?”

 

“Yes, but also nervous,” he admitted, taking the cup with a nod of thanks. “I really just hope nothing goes wrong with either of the ceremonies. There'll be so many important people… I feel like it's inevitable that at least  _ one _ of them will cause problems. Or that I'll say the wrong thing and offend someone.”

 

“Well, when you invite people like the New York City Pack, something’s  _ bound  _ to happen. All they do is complain, complain, complain.” Mackenzie said with a shrug. “But we're expecting it, and we'll be ready to deal with anything they try to pull, so don't worry.”

 

“I know it must be hard, being from such a small pack,” Donna added, smiling sympathetically as she reached over and squeezed his hand. “In fact, I know first hand how overwhelming all this political nonsense is at first. I was from a small pack too, originally. Smaller than San Antonio, in fact.”

 

“Really?” Jared found that hard to believe. The beta carried herself with such calm poise that it seemed impossible she hadn't been dealing with this her whole life. “I honestly never would've guessed. I thought you were born in Dallas Pack. “

 

“Why, thank you, honey. But you see, you'll get the hang of it quickly. It's not as bad as you think.”

 

Jared seriously doubted that, but he nodded anyway and took a bite of his toast. As he ate, he got the rundown of what to expect today. The mating ceremony would be first, held in the pack amphitheater at noon. The mating ceremony was were-only, and they were expecting about ninety guests total, including Jared's family and a few pack members. Then the wedding would be held at three, also in the amphitheater but with a few hundred more guests. The reception would follow at five, and it was going to be held in the ballroom of one of Dallas’ luxury hotels. Each event would require an outfit change, but there would be plenty of time in between, and Gen was going to stick around to help him for the rest of the day.

 

The more Beta Ackles told him, the more his breakfast churned in his stomach. There was no way he’d be able to make it through the day with his sanity intact, he decided. So many times, places, names, and instructions to keep straight. His mind was already whirling with them all. 

 

“Don’t worry,” Genevieve whispered reassuringly as she whisked his half-empty plate away. She then directed him to the bedroom, where his outfit for the mating ceremony was laid across his bed.

 

Traditionally, the omega would wear nothing at all during the mating ceremony to show that they gave themselves completely to their mate. It was then up to the alpha to present their omega with the items they deemed necessary. Luckily, that tradition was now widely seen as unnecessarily demeaning for omegas and had been replaced with something a little more modest. 

 

Today, Jared would wear a semi-sheer white robe and veil which would shield his body from the eyes of everyone but his alpha. The garments were meant to show that Jared’s body and sexuality belonged to his alpha and his alpha alone. None of the attendees would ever have the privilege of seeing his naked body as Jensen would. Or, at least, that was how it had been explained to him. It was still a little demeaning, Jared thought, but much less embarrassing than going in front of ninety people stark naked. 

 

Genevieve helped him into the loose robe and did up the gilded buttons in the front. A sash was wound around his waist to cinch in the flowing fabric. After his hair was brushed and styled, she had to climb onto a chair to drape the veil, fussing with the pins and folds until it fell just right over his head. 

 

“There! Now, go look in the mirror!” She jumped down from the chair and folded her arms, waiting for his comment.

 

Jared did as he was told, lifting the veil in the front so that he could see his reflection. Honestly, the robe just looked like he was wearing an ill-fitting dress, and the veil made him look like a creepy zombie bride, but Genevieve was waiting expectantly with a smile on her face. So he lied, and told her, “It looks great, Genevieve. Thank you.”

 

The omega smiled and clapped her hands. “You look so gorgeous, Jared! You’re gonna knock your alpha’s socks off. Too bad he’ll have to wait ‘til tonight to do anything about it.” She winked.

 

_ Oh god _ , Jared thought.  _ The wedding night _ .

 

In the weeks leading up to today, he’d forced his mind away from anything to do with sex on the wedding night. But now that the event was looming over him, he couldn’t put off thinking about it anymore. It was gonna happen tonight, whether he thought about it or not.

 

“Hey,” Genevieve patted his arm gently, not missing the look of panic that briefly crossed his features. “You’re worried about tonight, right? Don’t be. Alpha Jensen is going to be blown away by you, I promise.”

 

“Well, yeah, but…”

 

“We even have a couple special little items,” She said, wiggling her eyebrows lecherously. Then she sobered up. “It might feel weird at first, but it won’t hurt. Remember, as omegas, our bodies are literally made to handle our alphas, no matter how big they might be. Just try to relax.”

 

“I-I’ll try,” Jared promised. “Is there… I don’t know if I can even ask this, but…”

 

“What is it? You can ask me anything, Jared, I promise. That’s why Beta Ackles brought me here today.” 

 

“Is there something… so that I don’t get, you know, pregnant?” Jared finally blurted, cheeks going pink from embarrassment.

 

Gen sighed and squeezed his arm sympathetically. “Not really. Alpha Jensen might use a condom, but most alphas won’t because it doesn’t feel right for them. And omega birth control pills aren’t all that effective, with the knotting period and all. You can ask your alpha, but… A baby’s pretty inevitable after mating.” 

 

“Okay,” Jared sighed. “I mean, I kinda knew that but… I figured it was worth asking.”

 

“Yeah. There’s not much you can do tonight, but maybe tomorrow you can talk to your alpha about birth control to at least lower the chances. It sucks, I know. Especially since you and Alpha Jensen are still getting to know each other.”

 

Jared nodded. What Gen said pretty much matched up with what he’d learned in his Omega Reproductive Health class back in high school. In most alpha-omega mateships, the omega would fall pregnant within one year of mating. After that, the omega’s cycle would usually go into self-protective hibernation so that they couldn’t get pregnant again until their current litter was weaned. For omegas who didn’t breastfeed, the period would last about two years. 

 

The whole point of omegas, from an evolutionary standpoint, was that they were incredibly fertile. While most betas were only capable of about three to four pregnancies in their lifetimes, omegas could —and did— get pregnant dozens of times. Part of that was the knotting which happened solely between alphas and omegas. For omegas, sex without knotting had about a 35% chance of catching, while sex with knotting resulted in a pregnancy closer to 65% of the time. And unfortunately for omegas who wished to be sexually active, birth control only lowered those percentages to about 20% and 40% respectively.

 

All of that added up to mean that the likelihood of Jared getting pregnant within the next couple weeks was about 100%.

 

Before he could let that sink in too deeply, Genevieve was leading him outside. A black limousine was waiting, and the driver —in an immaculate suit with white gloves— came around to open the car door for the omegas. Genevieve slid in first, sinking into the expensive leather seats with the same cheerful, encouraging smile she’d worn all morning. Jared hesitated for a second before following her into the car. 

 

“Wow,” he whispered as he buckled his seatbelt. “This is…”

 

“All yours for the day, so enjoy it!” Genevieve filled in, leaning over to grab the bottle of champagne on the mini bar. “Want some?”

 

“It’s not even noon yet!” Jared laughed, shaking his head. “Does Beta Ackles know what a bad influence you are?”

 

“Hey, I don’t hear you saying no.” Genevieve procured two glasses and proceeded to fill both with the bubbly golden liquid. “Drink up, Mr. Bride-to-be.”

 

“‘M not a bride.” He protested half-heartedly but lifted the glass to take a sip. God knew he would need the courage being tipsy gave him to get through this day.

 

~*~

 

The mating ceremony went surprisingly well. No dire faux pas was committed, and everyone left with their egos intact, so Jared counted it as a win.

 

He’d arrived exactly on time and spent about half an hour being debriefed on what to expect. Will had arrived about halfway through the debriefing to glare daggers at him under the pretense of being a watchful guard, but Jared tried to just shrug it off. 

 

At 12:05, his father had arrived to hand him off. Similarly to human weddings, the omega was always handed off to their alpha mate by their alpha parent, as if they were chattel being transferred from one owner to the next. His father had said exactly nothing to him, only looked him up and down before sighing and taking his arm. Jared wasn’t sure whether he should’ve been offended or not, but he didn’t have time to decide because suddenly they were walking. 

 

Instead of walking down the aisle as a bride would’ve, he was simply led in from the side, right onto the stage. Jensen had joined him a couple seconds later alongside his own father. As per tradition, Jared had knelt at his new alpha’s feet silently as the three alpha’s exchanged their vows over his head. There’d been a moment of tension when Jensen paused before saying ‘yes’ to the final deal. 

 

Jared knew it’d been an intentional power play and a ‘fuck you’ to Will, who’d been glaring at Jensen with such a look of hatred during the ceremony that it was a wonder Jensen was still standing. The alpha had basically been reminding everyone that  _ he  _ held the cards.

 

Finally, Jensen had reached down to lift Jared’s veil, and then came the most embarrassing part of it all. To seal the deal, Jared was handed a small silver chalice filled to the brim with Jensen’s come. In front of the whole audience, he’d drunk every last drop, thereby establishing Jensen’s scent and claim on him. From his position on his knees, he’d clearly seen the effect the ceremony had on Jensen— the alpha’s dick tented his dress slacks obscenely, only inches from Jared’s face.

 

Now, he was standing next to Jensen at the exit of the amphitheater, waiting to be taken home. The ceremony had just ended, so there were still quite a few guests milling about, chatting with his new mate about the upcoming wedding and reception. Jared could still taste the bitter tang of Jensen’s come in his mouth and desperately wished to back in his little suite already so he could brush his teeth. 

 

He spotted his mother and father in the crowd, talking to an older man in a navy suit with graying hair and broad shoulders. Judging by the earnest, carefully admiring look on his father’s face, the man was another potential ally for San Antonio Pack. Idly, Jared wondered what his father would bargain this time. Like Will had said, Gerry had already used his best chip. 

 

After a couple more minutes of small talk, Jensen guided him towards the parking lot, a possessive hand low on his back. “You were perfect in there,” Jensen said in his deep, husky voice. “You looked so damn sexy down there on your knees, could hardly think about anything else.”

 

“I noticed.” Jared joked tentatively, glancing over to see how Jensen took it. The alpha chuckled, nodding his head.

 

“Kinda hard to miss, if ya know what I mean,” Jensen smirked and Jared laughed softly. “No pun intended.”

 

As they got into the car, Jared silently mused on the fact that Jensen had a way about him that put Jared at ease. He’d gone into the ceremony tense and upset, and not even an hour after it was over he was already laughing and smiling with the alpha. It was a good thing, he supposed. There was no point in being upset about something he couldn’t change. But still, as silly as it was, he’d wanted to be able to hold onto his distrust and resentment a little longer. 

 

“So, I’ll drop you off to get changed and meet you back here at 2:30. Then, after the reception, we’ll stay in Dallas. We have a honeymoon suite in the same hotel.” Jensen informed, smirking at the mention of the honeymoon suite. 

 

Jared nodded his acknowledgment, but he was really only half-listening. The other half was still working overtime, worrying about the rest of the day, processing the ceremony, and already over-analyzing his relationship with his new alpha. 

 

Jensen seemed to pick up on his lack of real enthusiasm and fell silent. On one hand, Jared felt bad about it, but on the other, he knew the alpha wasn’t all that enthusiastic either. They both knew Jensen was marrying on his parents’ orders and there was no point in pretending otherwise. As much as Jared yearned for the dreamy, romantic wedding of his childhood imagination, this was real life. And besides, even if they hadn’t exactly begun this relationship in the most conventional way, Jared still held hope for what the future might bring. So far, Jensen had mostly been very gentlemanly and respectful for an alpha. He’d had his occasional cold or nasty moments, but his charms had managed to knock Jared off his feet several times, despite the omega’s resolve not to open himself too much to the playboy alpha. 

 

So as much as he tried to shove it down, Jared still held onto that small hope that he and Jensen really could come to love each other someday, given time.

 


End file.
